akulahawkRN ADN, RN, EMT-P

Emergency Department

Wee bit about me!

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All Content by akulahawkRN

  1. akulahawkRN

    Working Full Time and a Student Full Time

    akulahawkRN replied to NurseBre94's topic in Medical Assistant, CNA/MA

    I will say that depending upon your actual schedule, at work and at school, it could be very doable. It will not be very easy. In fact, I expect that it would be rather difficult. Given what I know of...
  2. akulahawkRN

    your first "patient emergency"

    akulahawkRN replied to pinkiepieRN's topic in General Nursing

    I remember my first "patient emergency" like it was almost yesterday. While I was not a nurse at the time, I was most certainly in a patient care role… This patient is now long gone, at the time she...
  3. akulahawkRN

    amp of D50

    akulahawkRN replied to happyRN21's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Glucagon can be given subcutaneously, IM, or IV. I've always been instructed to give it IM because if there's an IV established, I'm going to push D10 or D50 for a low blood sugar level. It could very...
  4. akulahawkRN

    Anyone have to take A&P more than once?

    akulahawkRN replied to Wannabeeinscrubs's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    I took part of A&P twice. The first time around I took the full year. The second time through (about 15 years later) I took just the part that I needed. Needless to say that I did VERY well the...
  5. akulahawkRN

    Nursing School Acceptance

    akulahawkRN replied to JessicaTutt's topic in General Students

    What to brush up on for first semester of nursing school… Well probably the first thing that I would suggest that you brush up on is anatomy and physiology. I would personally lean more towards...
  6. akulahawkRN

    Certification prior to nursing school? Helps or No?

    akulahawkRN replied to Idiosyncratic's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    Should you get some kind of certificate prior to starting NS? Absolutely! The question is, what kind? I've been an EMT & Paramedic for 7 years (actively) and kept up with my Paramedic License for...
  7. akulahawkRN

    use of b-blockers for chronic heart failure

    akulahawkRN replied to Mohammad Asim's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Then I (and a couple others) must have mis-read the
  8. akulahawkRN

    use of b-blockers for chronic heart failure

    akulahawkRN replied to Mohammad Asim's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    I just went back and re-read your post. You covered the reason for the beta blockers really well, you just missed the beta agonists part of it. No need to go all the way back to the drawing board,...
  9. akulahawkRN

    Did any one struggle with low self-esteem in nursing school?

    akulahawkRN replied to Avill's topic in General Students

    I've felt that way for about one day... Ok, maybe a week. While you may not feel any more competent than you were during 1st semester, remember this: you're learning new stuff. While you're in that...
  10. akulahawkRN

    Please explain this concept to me!

    akulahawkRN replied to TnRN43's topic in General Nursing

    I'm a big fan of pumps that have a secondary port on a cassette on a primary line just for this reason! You can actually have it set to run your primary bag and your secondary bag concurrently through...
  11. akulahawkRN

    I'm turning 25 soon and I want to be a nurse, am I kidding myself?

    akulahawkRN replied to christinem2388's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    I can (sort of) second that! I'll be turning 40 shortly and I still have a year to go in Nursing School. Yes, 25 feels kind of old, but.... you're just getting
  12. akulahawkRN

    use of b-blockers for chronic heart failure

    akulahawkRN replied to Mohammad Asim's topic in Nursing Student Assistance

    Specifically, why do we use beta agonists in acute failure and beta antagonists (aka blockers) in chronic failure. It's been a while, and I'm going to simplify this a bit... (and hopefully I'm close...
  13. akulahawkRN

    Tech vs. RN

    akulahawkRN replied to ER Soldire's topic in Emergency

    Yet you say that you foster good teamwork. You try to not use them at all except when you need extra hands. Now this could very well be the case where you work and perhaps your Techs aren't given any...
  14. akulahawkRN

    ED Tech

    akulahawkRN replied to Dom3269's topic in Patient Care Technician, Assistants

    Places that require that their ED Techs be at least EMT certified often hire Paramedics for that position. The problem is that sometimes getting Paramedics to do anything as a group (besides patient...
  15. akulahawkRN

    Size matters? (IV question)

    akulahawkRN replied to theantichick's topic in General Nursing

    Oh, believe me, I've had 18gauge IV's. Yes, they do hurt but then again, so do 20gauge IV's. And you're right about placing 20gauge catheters on the floors. If there's no need to run fluids in any...
  16. akulahawkRN

    Has anyone else ever fallen asleep in class?

    akulahawkRN replied to july06's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    I have not fallen asleep in class in several years. However, over the past two years I believe I have nodded off in class several times but not to the point where I completely fell asleep and missed...
  17. akulahawkRN

    How far is a too far to commute to nursing school?

    akulahawkRN replied to aperez0810's topic in California Nursing

    Since you are coming from Martinez, I would highly suggest that you leave your house that early, if not a little bit more so because after probably 6:30 AM, Highway 680 is going to be hammered. About...
  18. akulahawkRN

    Size matters? (IV question)

    akulahawkRN replied to theantichick's topic in General Nursing

    Back when I was a paramedic, I used to put 20gauge IV catheters routinely in hands, and 18gauge IV catheters routinely everywhere else. Normally I did not put an IV catheter in larger than a 18gauge...
  19. akulahawkRN

    Patients afraid of needles...

    akulahawkRN replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

  20. akulahawkRN

    I want to become an RN. Where do I start?

    akulahawkRN replied to Kelsey11's topic in Pre-Nursing Students

    If I were in your shoes, I'd probably check out all the RN programs in the area. That means going to their info sessions, finding out what specific prerequisites they require, and if there are any...
  21. akulahawkRN

    Studying long hours - How do you do it?

    akulahawkRN replied to Brian's topic in General Students

    Typically I study in 15 min chunks... with about 5 minutes after. What this means is that I begin studying every 20 minutes. So if I start at 8:00, I study until about 8:15 and take a 5 minute break....
  22. akulahawkRN

    Nervous About First Semester

    akulahawkRN replied to scully11's topic in General Students

    Welcome to the first semester. You're going to find that it is really going to be a whole lot of learning about the very basics of nursing. Probably the biggest bit of advice that I can give you is...
  23. akulahawkRN

    Patients afraid of needles...

    akulahawkRN replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    The technique for IV starts is just a whole lot different than shots. It's a LOT harder to make those painless for the patient. I don't like them either, but at least once under the skin it's not as...
  24. akulahawkRN

    Stethoscope

    akulahawkRN replied to ilovemythreeguys's topic in General Students

    Now that it's been mentioned... those things do come in so many different colors. With some models, the choices can be almost
  25. akulahawkRN

    Patients afraid of needles...

    akulahawkRN replied to Brian's topic in Nurses Rock

    Indeed it is. Look up "Gate Control Theory" and you'll find why I sometimes do that those